Synopsis
Bulbul, Bonny and Suman live an idyllic life, playing in the rain, climbing trees and swimming in the river. On the cusp of puberty, the inseparable trio go through their schooling days as a unit, discovering love, sexual awakenings and rebellion together. When a group of villagers discover the teens engaged in acts that outrage their moral modesty, the trio’s friendship is put to the test through violent punishment and tragedy. A self-taught, one-woman filmmaking force, Rima Das’s naturalistic storytelling instincts play to the strengths of Bulbul Can Sing. Following the success of her similarly styled Village Rockstars, Das’s non-intrusive, documentary-style camerawork—paired with her young leads’ exuberant chemistry—makes this Assamese coming-of-age tale a widely relatable gem.